Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xperia Pro-I: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia Pro-I edges out the 1 III primarily due to its superior camera system, particularly its 1-inch sensor. However, the 1 III offers a slightly more compelling overall package with a more competitive price and a broader appeal for general users. It's a close call, heavily dependent on your photographic priorities.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 1 III | Sony Xperia Pro-I |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 14 | 2021, October 26 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 25 | Available. Released 2021, December 02 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) | 166 x 72 x 8.9 mm (6.54 x 2.83 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) | 211 g (7.44 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Built-in strap-hole | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | 12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 2.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage) 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", PDAF, 2x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Native Sony Alpha camera support | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple | Frosted Black |
| Models | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 | XQ-BE62, XQBE62-B, XQ-BE62-B, XQ-BE62/B, XQ-BE42, XQ-BE42-B, XQ-BE42/B, XQ-BE72, XQ-BE52 |
| Price | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 | About 930 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 82h | Endurance rating 87h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -26.5 LUFS (Good) | -28.6 LUFS (Average) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 725839 (v9) GeekBench: 3540 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Excellent 4K 120Hz OLED display
- Variable telephoto lens for versatile photography
- Competitive price compared to Pro-I
- Solid overall performance
- Good battery life
- Snapdragon 888 is a generation older
- Camera not as advanced as Pro-I
- Design can feel a bit dated
Sony Xperia Pro-I
- Exceptional 1-inch camera sensor
- Professional-grade video recording features
- Refined display calibration
- Premium build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Significantly higher price
- Less appealing to general users
- Design is quite boxy
- Snapdragon 888 is a generation older
Display Comparison
Both phones feature stunning 6.5-inch OLED displays with a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution. The Pro-I boasts a slightly higher peak brightness of 644 nits compared to the 1 III's 620 nits, but the difference is minimal in real-world usage. Both offer excellent color accuracy and contrast, with the 1 III's 'Cinematic' display mode providing a wider aspect ratio for immersive viewing. The Pro-I's display also benefits from a more refined calibration for professional workflows.
Camera Comparison
This is where the Pro-I truly shines. Its headline feature is a 1-inch Exmor RS sensor, significantly larger than the 1 III's sensor. This translates to superior low-light performance, better dynamic range, and shallower depth of field. The Pro-I also offers more manual controls and professional video recording capabilities. The 1 III still has a very capable camera system with its variable telephoto lens, but it doesn't match the Pro-I's image quality.
Performance
Under the hood, both devices share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset and 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth and responsive performance for demanding tasks and gaming. While the Snapdragon 888 is a generation older, it remains a powerful performer. Differences in real-world performance are likely negligible, with software optimization playing a larger role.
Battery Life
Both phones offer an endurance rating of 87 hours, indicating excellent battery life. While the Pro-I technically has a slightly higher rating, real-world usage will likely be similar. Both support 30W wired charging and wireless charging, with reverse wireless charging capabilities.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia 1 III is ideal for users who want a premium smartphone experience with a fantastic display, solid performance, and a capable camera system at a more accessible price point. The Xperia Pro-I is targeted towards professional photographers and videographers who demand the absolute best image quality and advanced features, justifying its higher cost.